Customers at a popular fast-food restaurant in the heart of Ocho Rios received a shock during their lunch hour on Friday as they lined up to purchase lunch.

A huge rat fell on to a female customer as she sat in the restaurant enjoying her meal.

Instantly, the afternoon's relative quiet was shattered by ear-shattering screams by the frightened woman and her female friend.

When the other customers, mostly women, realised what was happening, the restaurant became a virtual mad house as they scampered in all directions, some on to chairs, some outside, to avoid the now frightened animal as it too scurried about, trying to get away.

One brave woman showed some guts as the rodent came close to her, giving it a huge kick, sending it slamming against the counter and almost on to a woman standing there.

Lots of screams

The rat fell to the ground, stunned, but soon regained its focus and scampered off, once again sending the women into a frenzy, evoking lots of screams and some amount of laughter.

The rat finally met its end when a man stepped on it.

A STAR reporter who was in the restaurant at the time of the incident tried to speak with the woman who the rat fell on but she was too shaken to respond.

A worker later told a customer that the rat fell out of the air condition unit, which was located above the seat where the woman was sitting.

She said she believed the rat was forced from its nest by the monthly pest control exercise carried out by the restaurant.

Medical officer of health for St Ann, Dr Patrick Wheattle, upon hearing of the incident, immediately delegated a member of his team to investigate.

Dr Wheattle said the Health Department was currently collaborating with the St Ann Parish Council and business owners in an ongoing drive to improve the public-health situation in the parish.

The drive, which includes the education of business owners about public-health practices, started in Discovery Bay and was due to target Ocho Rios, especially the James Avenue area, next week, he disclosed.